Automatic rewind film carrier



April '6, 1943- A. GRUENHUT AUTOMATIC REWIND FILM CARRIER Filed March 6,'1941 ATIWME);

Patented Apr. 6, 1943 AUTOMATIC REWIND FILM CARRIER Alfred Gruenhut, NewYork, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Gertrude Israel, New

York, N. Y.

Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 381,975

3 Claims. (01. ss 1s.7) I

This invention relates to improved film magazines, and more particularlyit relates to a film carrier of the type where an endless strip of filmis moved through the film carrier as well as through a projectingapparatus.

In film carriers of this type it is most essential to prevent jammingand tightening of the film during its passage through the film magazine.Attempts havebeen made to provide an automatic rewind film carrier ofthe above type where a plurality of annular film coils are arrangedconcentrically to each other on a single base plate. However, theseprior devices have the drawback that they are unsuitably large andheavy, and, therefore, they cannot be used in connection with some typesof motion picture projecting apparatus.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a plurality of filmmagazines, each of which carries one annular film coil. Each of the filmmagazines carries a relatively short length of film that may, forinstance, be between 100 and 200 ft. Nevertheless, the total length offilm carried by the improved film carrier may be very considerabledepending upon the number of film carriers used.

The individual film magazines form independent units which can beseparately removed toether with the film mounted thereon. All theindividual film magazines are arranged side by side and are driven bythe same driving means. Thus, the synchronous movement of the filmthrough the film carrier and the projecting apparatus is assured. Theautomatic rewind film carrier of the invention has been designedparticularly for use with a coin operated motion picture machine whichis adapted to play in succession a plurality of short features whichmay. each have a length of about 100 to about 200 ft. Hence each featurewill run for a time of between three and five minutes. Accordingly, itis very advantageous to design each of the individual film magazines sothat it carries just one or two features which may then easily beexchanged by removing the film magazine together with the film carriedthereby, and by severing the film from the film portions carried byadjacent film magazines.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improvedautomatic rewind film carrier which will positively prevent jamming ortightening of the film during its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a film carrier of the typereferred to which will take up a minimum of space so that it can be usedwith any kind of motion picture machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rewind film carrierthat is automatic in operation and will not require any supervision.

Still an object of the invention is to provide a film carrier of theabove type which is provided with a plurality of individual filmmagazines, each of which carries a predetermined length of film, eachunit being adapted to be exchanged.

These and further objects of the invention will become more evident inthe following description of a preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front view of the film carrier of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side view of my improved automatic rewind film carrier,parts being broken away,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l to show a detail ofconstruction,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the constructionof one of the radial rollers for supporting the annular film coil.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, thefilm carrier of the invention is provided with a base plate Ill. Aplurality of upright plates H is removably mounted on base plate [0, asshown more particularly in Fig. 3. Block [2 is secured to plate In inany suitable way and has a threaded bolt l3 projecting therefrom. Wingednut l 4 is adapted to engage threaded bolt l3. Upright plate II has alongitudinal slot l5, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When winged nut I4 isloosened, upright plate. H can be removed by simply lifting it from baseplate l 0.

As shown in Figs.'1 and 2, a circular plate I 6 is secured to eachupright plate I I. Circular plate 16 serves as carrier for one of theannular film coils as will be described hereinafter. Electric motor I?is mounted on base plate It and has a shaft 18 on which a spiral gear 20is secured. Spiral gear 23 meshes with spiral gear 2| arranged at rightangles thereto. Spiral gear 2] is keyed to drive shaft 22 which servesas the general'drive for the endless film strip I Drive shaft 22 ismounted in a plurality of bearings 23 which in turn are secured to baseplate 10. A plurality of drive sprockets 24 is secured to shaft 22 forthe purpose to positively feed the film from one annular coil into thenext coil.

Each of the circular plates [6 is provided with a plurality of rollers25 which are arranged about a circle. Rollers 25 preferably have ballbearings, or they may be provided with self-lubricating bearings of thetype known as Oilite bearings. A plurality of radial rollers 25 isspaced at equal distances about the outer circumference of circularplate E6. The manner of mounting radial rollers 26 is shown moreparticularly in Fig. 4. Each of the radial rollers 26 has two short pins21 which are mounted in suitable recesses of frame 28 secured to plateIt. A substantially L-shaped metal frame 30, hinged at 3| to frame 28.L-shaped frame 30 has a recess 32 that cooperates with a projection 33on frame 23. When frame 30 is lifted, its recess 32 disengagesprojection 33 and thus access to the annular film coil 35 may be had.

As shown in Fig. 2 rollers 25 are spaced a certain distance fromcircular plate I5 so that each of the annular film coils 35 is supportedby radial rollers 26 and wound about rollers 25. Each of the circularplates l6 has a roller 34 which is arranged inside of the circle formedby rollers 25. The axes of rollers 34 are oblique with regard to ahorizontal plane. Each roller 34 is rotatably mounted on one of thecircular plates l6 and serves to move the film F out of the plan ofannular coil 35. Another set of oblique rollers 36 is mounted by meansof angle iron 3'! on base plate 10 and cooperates with roller 34.

The operation of my improved automatic rewind film carrier will now beexplained.

Drive shaft 22 is driven by motor I! by the intermediary of meshinghelical gears and 2i. Rotation of shaft 22 causes sprocket wheels 24 torotate. As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, the film Fleaving one of the annular film coils is first guided over obliquelyarranged roller 34, wherefrom it moves over oblique roller 36 adjacentthe next upright plate I I. From roller 36 the film F moves aboutsprocket wheel 24 and is passed onto the outer periphery of thesubsequent film coil 35. The direction of movement of film F has beenindicated by arrows. Film coil 35 is supported by radial rollers 26. Nowthe film is taken from the inner periph ery of the coil and passes overobliquely arranged roller 34 onto the next film coil.

From the last film coil, viz. the one on the left of Fig. 2, the filmalso passes over film sprocket 24 as indicated in Fig. l. 'Iherefrom thefilm passes through the film projector schematically indicated at 40.Film projector 40 has a lens 4! and a film gate 42 through which thefilm is intermittently fed in a manner well known to those skilled inthe art. After the film has passed from above through film gate 42 it isfed over the sprocket 24 arranged at the right hand side of Fig. 2.Since the film projector is no object of this invention and is wellknown to the man skilled in the art, it has only been indicatedschematically. It will, however, be understood that the film projectormay be arranged on any other suitable place instead of below base plateHi.

In Fig. 2 only three film carrying units or magazines have been shown.However, it is evident that any number of film units may be used,depending upon the total length of the endless film strip or upon thenumber of individual subjects carried by the rewinder of the invention.

It will now be appreciated that the film moves with a synchronous speedthrough the various film magazines, due to the fact that the film ispositively advanced by sprockets 24 which are driven with a uniformspeed by motor H.

The arrangement of the endless film strip in a plurality of film coils,each of which is mounted on asep'arate unit, has the followingadvantages. By unscrewing winged nut l4 circular plate [6 together withthe film mounted thereon may be removed from base plate 10 if the filmis severed from the preceding and follovw'ng film portions. Now a newfilm carrying unit or magazine may be secured to base plate 10 which maybear a different film subject. The film on the new film magazine must bespliced onto the severed ends of the adjacent film strips. Thus, it is"easily possibl to exchange any of the short features of the filmcarrier for another short subject.

I have found by various tests that my improved film carrier will runsatisfactorily if base plate I0 is in a vertical position. Suitably thefilm carrier is rotated through in a clockwise direction from theposition of Fig. 2;. In this position the film will bear against radialrollers 26 due to its weight. In case a limited space only is availablefor my automatic rewinder this arrangement may be preferred.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the details ofconstruction of the invention without departing from the broader spiritand scope thereof, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A film carrier comprising a base plate, aplurality of stationary filmcarrier plates secured to said base plate, each of said film carrierplates having a circular set of idle rollers rotatably mounted thereon,each set of rollers supporting an annular film coil, said film coilsforming portions of an endless film strip, a plurality of radial rollerson each of said film carrier plates for supporting the edges of the filmcoils on said carrier plates, a frame consisting of two portions foreach of said radial rollers, the lower portion of each of said framesbeing secured to one ofsaid film carrier plates and embracing the axisof its radial roller, the upper portion of each of said frames beinghinged to its lower portion and having a snap engagement therewith topermit opening of the frame for the purpose of removing one of saidannular film coils from its carrier plate, a drive shaft, means forrotating said drive shaft, a plurality of sprocket wheels on said driveshaft, each of said sprocket wheels being arranged to feed the film fromthe inner periphery of one of said film coils to the outer periphery ofthe adjacent film coil.

2. A film carrier comprising a support, a plurality of stationary filmcarrier plates secured vertically to said support, each of said filmcarrier plates having a circular set of idle rollers rotatably mountedthereon for supporting an annular film coil, said film coils formingportions of an endless film strip, an idle guide roller rotatablymounted on each of said film carrier plates for moving the film out ofthe plane defined by its associated annular film coil, the axes of saidguide rollers being oblique with regard to planes passing through saidcircular sets of rollers, a plurality of radial rollers on each of saidfilm carrier plates for supporting th edges of an associated film coil,frame for each of said radial rollers comprising two portions, the lowerportion of each of said frames being secured to one of said film carrierplates and embracing the axis of its radial roller, the upper portion ofeach of said frames being hinged to its lower portion and having a snapengagement therewith to permit opening of the frame for removing one ofsaid annular film coils from its carrier plate, a drive shaft, means forrotating said drive shaft, and a plurality of sprocket wheels on saiddrive shaft, each of said sprocket wheels being arranged to feed thefilm from the inner periphery of one of said film coils to the outerperiphery of the adjacent film coil.

3. In combination, a film projector and a film carrier including aplurality of stationary film magazines each having a set of idle rollersjournalled in a circle about a common center, each set of rollerssupporting an annular film coil, said film coils forming portions of anendless film strip, a plurality of radial rollers on each of said filmmagazines for supporting the edges of the film coil associatedtherewith, a frame for each of said radial rollers comprising twoportions, the lower portion of each of said frames being secured to oneof said film magazines and embracing the axis of its radial roller, theupper portion of each of said frames being hinged to its lower portionand having a snap ngagement therewith to permit opening of the frame forremoving one of said annular film coils, a drive shaft, means forrotating said drive shaft, a plurality of sprocket Wheels on said driveshaft, each of said sprocket Wheels being arranged to feed the film fromthe inner periphery of one of said film coils to the outer periphery ofthe adjacent film coil, an idle guide roller rotatably mounted on eachof said film magazines for moving the film out of the plane defined bythe annular film coil supported on said film magazine, another series ofidle guide rollers each being arranged adjacent one of said sprocketwheels, the axes of said guide rollers being inclined with regard toplanes passing through said circular sets of rollers, and means forfeeding the film on th last of said film magazines through saidprojector to the first of said film magazines.

ALFRED GRUENHUT.

